"My story isn't just about what tried to take me out.
It's about what couldn't."
What I’ve Lived Through. What I Live For.
Twelve years ago, I was standing at the finish line of the Boston Marathon with my 5-year-old son when a bomb exploded just feet behind us. In an instant, I became a human shield, my body absorbing the blast that could have taken both of our lives.
What followed was more than a headline. It was months in the hospital, 76 surgeries, and eventually the amputation of my left leg. I’ve had to relearn how to walk, how to parent through pain, and how to live in a body I didn’t recognize. And I’m still undergoing procedures to this day.
But I wasn’t supposed to survive — and I didn’t go through all of this to stay silent.
Over the last decade, I’ve shared my journey with audiences around the world. From Fortune 500 companies and hospital systems to women’s retreats and trauma summits, I speak about what it means to rebuild your life when everything has fallen apart — and how resilience isn’t just something we’re born with. It’s something we choose, over and over again.
Today, I’m not just a survivor. I’m a speaker, a mom, a wife, and the founder of Rebekah’s Angels Foundation, which provides mental health support for children and families navigating their own hard chapters. Because I know firsthand that trauma doesn’t end when the headlines do and healing doesn’t happen alone.
My story is messy, unfinished, and still being written, but it’s real.
And if I’ve learned anything, it’s this: you don’t have to be blown up to know what it feels like for life to explode. But you can still come back stronger than ever, even on your last leg.
Thank you for being here.
My Heart. My Why.
I’ve survived a lot, but I haven’t done it alone. My family has walked through the fire with me: my incredible husband, my two amazing kids, and the little village that’s held us up along the way.
After my 76th surgery, we took a seven-month trip around the world not to escape, but to embrace life. I wanted my kids to see that even after the worst things happen, the world is still beautiful. That fear doesn’t get to win. That we make the most of what we’re given; scars, setbacks, and all.
They’ve seen the hard days, the surgeries, the moments when I wasn’t sure how we’d keep going. And they’re also the reason I do. Every stage, every story, every ounce of purpose starts with them.
After the bombing, I was desperate to find healing, not just for myself, but for my 5-year-old son who had stood beside me at the finish line. We both survived, but the trauma didn’t end with survival. What we needed was real support. What we found was that trauma therapy and emotional support saved us.
But as we went through that process, I saw something heartbreaking: while my story made national news and brought support from around the world, most families struggling with trauma don’t get that kind of help.
That’s why I created Rebekah’s Angels Foundation: to make sure they do. Since 2018, our foundation has provided mental health support for hundreds of children and families. Whether it’s a child who’s endured abuse, a family healing after loss, or someone navigating life after tragedy, we help them get the tools they need to truly begin to find their peace.
This work isn’t a side mission. It’s personal. It’s the heart behind everything I do. Because my trauma didn’t begin at the Boston finish line. It began with years of childhood abuse. And today, through Rebekah’s Angels, I’m trying to be what little Rebekah so desperately needed: a voice, an advocate, and a path to true healing.
Rebekah's Angels Foundation
Let’s Work Together
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